Too many Americans fail to get enough sleep — and that has serious consequences for our health. Harvard Health notes that as “sleep debt mounts, the health consequences increase, putting us at growing risk for weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and memory loss.”

To combat sleep debt, you need to embrace healthy sleep practices. Harvard Health recommends creating a “sleep sanctuary” free of distractions like TVs or your computer or phone. Avoid napping unless absolutely necessary, as well as caffeine after noon. Don’t drink too much alcohol. Get exercise during the day, too. If you’re following all of these guidelines and still having trouble with sleep, talk to your doctor.

When you build up a sleep debt, it negatively impacts your immune system, reaction time, and memory, among other things. Note too that in a study of student volunteers who slept only four or six hours a night, the participants got worse at recognizing how sleepy they actually were over time.

The good news is, you can address your sleep debt gradually over time. If it’s a fairly short-term sleep debt, Harvard Health suggests: “If you missed 10 hours of sleep over the course of a week, add three to four extra sleep hours on the weekend and an extra hour or two per night the following week until you have repaid the debt fully.” If your sleep debt has been going on longer, you may consider taking some time off to recoup your lost zzz’s.